[Bodney]

Hey all! Looking to possibly upgrade my HD600's. The one thing that drives me nuts about them is the lack of soundstage. Now I do not know if this is an issue with headphones in general or these specifically. I have been spoiled enough to listen to some VERY high-end stereo systems back home but my current living situation (small apartment with roommates) does not allow me to crank my speakers up as much as I'd like.

I did recently upgrade to a pretty nice tube amp which really did give a whole new life to the 600's but they are still lacking a sense of spaciousness that I crave. Any advice on where to go from here? Considering the HD800s but open to suggestions/recommendations.

 

[bagwell359]

HD-600's are amazing - moreso given the age and the cost.

Without EQ they can play back a classical solo piano pitch perfect - almost no other can does that - I mean LCD-4, HFM HEK v2, and many more.

It does like tubes - esp ones meant to play 300-600 ohm cans, you get bass and body tossed in.

But despite all of that, and more, they just don't do soundstage. Cables, mods (felt on the back, dynamat), potent SS amps with lots of bass kick... whatever. It's not in the DNA. 800S nor 800 w/ mods is the way to go if you want soundstage maxed.

 

[Bodney]

HD-600's are amazing - moreso given the age and the cost.

Without EQ they can play back a classical solo piano pitch perfect - almost no other can does that - I mean LCD-4, HFM HEK v2, and many more.

It does like tubes - esp ones meant to play 300-600 ohm cans, you get bass and body tossed in.

But despite all of that, and more, they just don't do soundstage. Cables, mods (felt on the back, dynamat), potent SS amps with lots of bass kick... whatever. It's not in the DNA. 800S nor 800 w/ mods is the way to go if you want soundstage maxed.

Totally agree about the 600's. I love everything about them (esp. on tooooobs) except for that soundstage. Being my first and only pair of "HiFi" cans, I don't know if is just an issue with headphones in general or if there is a solution out there.

 

[bagwell359]

Totally agree about the 600's. I love everything about them (esp. on tooooobs) except for that soundstage. Being my first and only pair of "HiFi" cans, I don't know if is just an issue with headphones in general or if there is a solution out there.

They are well known for a rather limited soundstage. The BH Crack w/ Speedball over my Schitt Ragnarok helped the most - it made it wider and gave more of a sense of space in between performers - but - I'd say the grade went from a D+ to a C - at best. The stage as it unwound still sounded lumpy or if the performers were facing slightly different angles from what other headphones/speakers show. My modded HE-500 would get a B+ and the 800S would get an A/A+.

I am a soundstage guy too, for the HD-600 I just focus on the timbre, pace type things, and they do a good job the highlighted performer - for me usually female vocal/guitar/piano.

 

[xRaptorxPunisher]

Staging all all headphones is non existent. You can get stage perception which dip the upper mids i.e HD800 but you lose out on harmonics, mid fullness that lives in that range. Tubes can improve the feeling of air, subtle but noticeable.

 

[pataburd]

HD600 + Dave Brubeck Quartet = unforgettable

 

[SteelCookie]

I would definitely recommend to demo the HD800s. It's definitely got one of the if not the largest sound stage in headphones but with some compromises over some of the tonality. I still reach for my HD600s a lot. The vocals are just so so sweet and they scale incredibly well with new and different gear.